Suburb plagued by ‘anti-social behaviour’ before suspicious Torrensville blaze, dad claims

A father whose family lost everything in a suspected arson says police were regularly called to the suburb before the blaze erupted.

Residents were forced to flee a ferocious blaze that gutted a duplex at Torrensville. Picture: 7NEWS

A western suburbs resident says numerous incidents of anti-social behaviour were reported to police in the months before a suspicious blaze erupted next door and spread to his home, leaving him and his family with nothing.

Emergency services were called to a single storey duplex on West St, Torrensville, just after 10pm on Tuesday night after smoke began billowing from one of the homes.

Hamid Tahmasebi, who has lived in his West St property for almost 25 years, wife Zohreh Saeidi and the couple’s 11-year-old son were at the home when the blaze erupted. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by the family.

The family was forced to flee, with his son only having time to grab his laptop and beloved Brazilian parrot Sunny.

Mr Tahmasebi desperately battled the flames from his backyard before firefighters arrived, bringing the fire under control within 30 minutes.

Hamid Tahmasebi outside his maisonette house, which was engulfed in flames from a fire that started in a neighbouring house. Picture: Mark Brake

Hamid Tahmasebi and his partner Zohreh Saeidi’s parrot Sunny, who they saved from his burning home. Picture: Mark Brake

The ferocious blaze gutted the duplex next to Mr Tahmasebi’s home. Picture: 7 NEWS

Hamid Tahmasebi looks at the damage in his house. Picture: Mark Brake

“I tried to use the hose to put the fire out but then there was an explosion – my water pressure was not strong enough,” he said.

“I’ve been living in this house for 24 years, I built a big shed out the back … my entire life has been here.

“Now everything is destroyed.”

Mr Tahmasebi said the area was known for anti-social behaviour, with police regularly called to attend incidents.

“It’s caused my family so much pressure and anxiety,” he said.
“We just feel completely hopeless, it’s been terrifying.”

Police are now investigating whether the blaze might have been deliberately lit, with traces of an accelerant allegedly located inside the property. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the owner of the property where the blaze started.

On Wednesday morning, SA Police patrols and Fire Cause Investigators attended the scene, door knocking the area.

Charges have not been laid over the incident.

The fire comes just two weeks after another unrelated incident on nearby Palmyra Ave, when a home recently sold for more than $1 million went up in flames after a gas leak.

More than $600,000 in damage was caused to the character home, which was due to settle in the week after the blaze.

Originally published as Suburb plagued by ‘anti-social behaviour’ before suspicious Torrensville blaze, dad claims